*Chapter 1
SteelHooves: Equestria Before
Chapter 1
I stood at my post, overviewing the camouflaged Sky Bandit. Velvet had made a camp nearby, hours since the destruction of Splendid Valley. Ditzy Doo were nearby when the Valley exploded. Velvet herself asked Ditzy to do a sweep over the area and find what little remains of Littlepip.
I simply can’t dare myself to say that the probability of her surviving this; were slim. But I knew that mare is strong like a concrete wall. No matter what obstacles she encounters, she eventually finds her way through that. I have witnessed her ‘luck’ so many times before. Therefore I just know she can survive through this.
But, I am a Ranger. I cannot express my feelings in combat; it’ll simply stand in my way to kill. Of course, I got rid of it long before hoof, back in the war.
Back with the matter at hoof, Velvet grows worried every hour, completely forgetting that we are inside the Hellhound’s territory. I myself grow anxious with us staying in the same spot and wait for Ditzy Doo. Why? Were deep behind the enemy lines and I certainly don’t want to be here, seeing what the Hellhound’s are capable of.
I’d turn my visor to the right, seeing Xenith brewing again with whatever ingredients she found. I’m not really into potion, but if it helps others. I can’t complain.
I fixed my visor to the sky, looking for Ditzy Doo carriage. I spotted them not long after; I quickly trot over to the Sky Bandit and pull the camouflage net off. Calamity flew after Ditzy. She’s glowing? She must be full of Radioactive.
“Didja’ find anythin’ this time?” Calamity shouted.
Ditzy flew in closer and pulled over next to the Sky Bandit, hovering above while waving her hoof in greetings. Calamity went over to her carriage to check and shouted ecstatically as he found what he’s looking for.
“Hey! It’s Li’lpip!” He then turned to us. “Hey, everypony! Ditzy’s brought back Li’lpip! She’s alive!”
Velvet and Xenith began to stomp in applause. Velvet gave out the most thankful shout. I too joined them shortly after.
“Thank Applejack!” I’d turn to the others. “Okay, let’s get out of here. I don’t like being in one place too long. Especially this close to-”
The ground beneath us began to shake. A half dozen Hellhounds emerged from the earth, charging straight at us. I didn’t take long as I take out my grenade machinegun and began firing a volley of explosives at them, tearing down one hellhound that aimed its magical shotgun at Velvet and Xenith.
“Get to the Wagon!” Calamity shouted, taking a shot at a Hellhound who tried to climb to Sky Bandit.
I felt the ground shaking beneath me. And it all happened almost instantly, I couldn’t move nor feel the rest of my armored body. I flew a few feet above the ground before landing with a thud on the ground. I saw a horrified Littlepip on the wagon as my head stopped its roll.
Everything grows blurry; the darkness crept in the corner of my vision before finally consuming it whole. For the first time, and at long last, I felt free. If I would have a final word, it would refer to one and only, Littlepip.
Be strong, and remain what defines who you are. Finish the rest of your journey. Farewell, Littlepip the Stable-Dweller.
If one would ask, how does it feel when you die? Let me tell you, it is as pale and uneventful as it is cleaning a barrel of your rifle twenty times every hour. If that wasn't how afterlife work, then I don’t know what is.
The first thing I saw was darkness, then a dark green light, then words that said ‘Synchronizing Visual Display’. The feeling all seems too familiar, but I can’t get my hooves on what it is, as if I once did this before, but where?
My eyes widened as the familiar Heads Up Display appeared with the logo of Stable-Tec at the center, all of a sudden I was struck by familiarity as I can finally see. Dark oak trees, or somewhere similar to it, either way, I’m in some kind of a forest of sorts with my power armor.
The system module pops up on the right corner, loading up all system and checking each and every one of them. None of it was damaged and fully functioning, the ammo count shows how much ammo left for the Grenade Launcher and Missile, it’s enough to kill five Hydras with two Missile volley or six Grenades.
Nevertheless, the question still remained. Where am I? I do not know for certain if fate is just playing with me or that I seem to be somewhere within Everfree Forest. The map is unavailable, however navigational support is still functioning, I suppose that still counts as luck.
I marked my position on the S-Navigator, in case that I looped for whatever reason. With nowhere else to go, I head on south-west in the hope of encountering something, a town if I’m lucky.
I encountered a pathway, the path split into two and I’m contemplating which one I choose. I know for a fact, one of them will lead to some sort of civilization, perhaps… I choose the one on my left, following the path in utter silent with the only thing that accompanies me are the heavy stomps of my boots.
Slowly, the dreaded landscape of the Everfree diminished and replaced with lushful landscape. It has been a long time since I last saw a landscape such as this other than irradiated wasteland. How long since the war ended? If I don’t even remember how the land was supposed to be back then, then it has been too fucking long. Two or three centuries may have passed. To be honest, I don’t check how long things have been going, but instead of how things are doing.
I sighed, the final remnant of the Everfree landscape all replaced with the lush landscape. I continued along the pathways. This all seems too familiar, I don’t know why, but I seemed to recognize this very road the longer I walk on it.
Then realization struck me as I stopped dead in my tracks in front of all too familiar sign.
Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres
I looked over to the vast orchards of apple trees, this cannot be happening. I can’t go back in time, that’s just impossible! This is… unreal, I certainly know fate is playing with me and having a blast with it. Perhaps this is just the way afterlife work? I do not know anymore.
I slowly shook my head and took a step forward. I hesitated for a moment, the feeling of happiness, dread, and anxiety all mixed into one. I set aside these feelings and continued onward.
Every step I take, I relieved every moment I was here, everything. The orchards seemed smaller than the last time I was here, but it still large enough. All the feelings in my heart, that nostalgia, all but wrapped my heart with some sort of warmth. For once in my time as a ghoul, I feel… alive. More than I was before the war even began.
A loud ‘thud’ ripped me apart of my thoughts. I turned to where the sound came from, and again my heart felt fuzzy, all warmth, just like when I first saw her. And I cannot believe that I would feel that lost feeling again, it is like a gap being filled once more.
Applejack, all with her vigor, bucked the previous tree with grace. Everything looked the same with her, except that now she looked younger than when I first saw her. If I were to hazard a guess, she may perhaps still in her early twenties. If it was true, then…then everything would change…right?
Agh fuck this time travel bullshit, if this were the afterlife, then fucking bravo fate, you just played me. But you know what, I don’t fucking care. If I was thrown back in time to see her again, even to never touch her fur with my own, I don’t fucking care!
My head felt lighter all of a sudden after that mental rant, glancing my visor up to Applejack, I saw her staring at me with her head tilted. I could feel my cheeks heating up, thank the gods I wore my armored suit or else Applejack might saw how ridiculous I am.
“Yer okay there, partner?” She asked suddenly.
“Ah, I apologize, I did not mean on spacing out there.” I said out of embarrassment, her answer however was an amused chuckle.
“Heheh, it’s alright. Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres, mah name’s Applejack, and who would ya be?” She lent her hoof.
I hesitate to use my name. As such, I used the only name that sticks to me the most, “SteelHooves.” I accept her hoof, and as expected she shook it firmly even with all this armor.
“Nice to meet ya, SteelHooves.”
I nodded, “Likewise, miss Applejack.”
“Whoa nelly, now that’s the firmest hoof-shake if Ah’ve ever seen one,” She commented as we both let go of our hooves.
“Ah, perhaps it is my armor that stands in the way,” I inquired. This resulted on Applejack to raise her brows.
“Yer armor?” She asked, and received a nod from me. She hesitates, raising one of her hoof, looking a bit embarrassed. “Err, if ya don’t mind?”
“Go ahead.”
Applejack hesitantly raised her hoof to touch my armored chest, as her hoof touched it she reeled back as if afraid it’ll do anything. Applejack looked back at me, I nodded reassuringly. She slowly placed her hoof on my armored chest again, simply getting the feel of the armor thickness.
“Whoa, it is real, are ya kind of a robot or somethin’?” She reeled her hoof back, staring at me in disbelief.
I shook my head, “No, I am not, I assure you, but I am real.”
She sighed in relief, “Ah’m glad, Ah fear that Ah was workin’ too hard again.”
I wanted to ask, but I put that behind me for a moment, there’s just something that I want to talk about with her and all of the Apple family.
“I know this may sound a strange request, but… can we talk.”
Applejack eyed me for a second before shrugging, “Sure, what do ya want to talk about?”
I looked at the red barn at the distance, the home of the Apples, “If you don’t mind, I would like to talk to all of you.”
Author's Note
Rewritten and resubmitted on 21st September 2019.
-Minor changes on the Prologue, however, the rest entirely rewritten.
